I sit by Astoria at the feast, Gryffindors house banners fluttered with an artificial breeze as if to taunt every other house saying:
You should have done better.
Maybe next time.
It was so painfully antagonizing, the Slytherin house took the lead last year for the whole term until the last month of school.
When the so-called golden trio earned nearly fifty points each for what?
I don't know I didn't care enough to pay attention to whatever miraculous deeds they completed now.
Professor Dumbledore welcomed the first years with open arms.
Each of them looked excited yet terrified of the legendary sorting hat that was perched on a stool singing a song welcoming the first years teaching them the meaning of each house.
Their destiny and life was promised and confirmed as soon as they put that hat on and they were sorted into their permanent house.
No second chances or second guesses this was it.
Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.
Each of the components that made them who they were fit the habitants of each house.
The kind, naive sense of hope of the Hufflepuffs.
The intelligent, calm nature of the Ravenclaws.
The brave and boisterous personalities of the Gryffindors.
And the ambitious, sneaky leadership of us Slytherins.
We all had our traits, it was our job to make the best of them and not ruin the reputation of our houses in turn.
I clapped alongside the Slytherins when we received a new member of our house.
Dumbledore clapped as well as the final first year was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Everyone turned their attention to their plates expectantly.
"Two words- Tuck in!" Dumbledore announces leaving to his chair beside Professor McGonagall and Professor Sintera.
Immediately with these two words a magnificent feast appears before us, the house elves cooking everything imaginable to appease all walks of life.
I helped myself to some Shepard's pie and iced pumpkin juice, the rumble of my stomach eagerly nudging me to hurry up and eat.
"I can't wait-for-him to tell us- why- we-need dress robes-," Millicent says through bites of food.
I look down upon one of the girls I call my friends as she sprayed food all over.
"Millicent that's revolting-don't talk with your mouth full," I say having swallowed my food washing it down with pumpkin juice.
"I couldn't even understand what you said," Astoria added eating her own steak and kidney pudding.
Millicent glared at us looking down at her food shoveling yet another spoonful into her mouth.
I glance at Astoria who rolls her eyes before turning her attention to the deserts that have appeared before us.
My food vanishes from my plate and I grab a helping of apple cobbler and a chocolate tart.
We had fine deserts at Beauxbatons as France was the pastry capital of the world we were expected to have delicious food.
Girls in particular got treated nicely when they were on their periods, we were all sent gift baskets filled with freshly made chocolate from the local village as well as feminine products.
This was yet another thing I missed about my old school.
Here you had to talk with Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary and she'd give you a block of medical chocolate and a handful of pads or tampons.
I crunch down onto the tart savoring the salty sweetness of the chocolate that was cooked to perfection.
After dessert Professor Dumbledore walks up to the podium, most likely to tell us goodnight or to remind us that no one younger than third year is allowed in Hogsmeade Village.
But, I was wrong.
When students tried to leave back to their common rooms their head of house pushed them back into their seat.
"That was quite a lovely meal wasn't it?" Professor Dumbledore says.
"You may be wondering why your not going immediately to bed after that glorious meal. Well, this may upset some of you."
Confused looks exchange from everyone around me.
Professor Dumbledore allows the murmurs to subside before continuing what seemed like was going to be a long speech.
"The inter-house Quidditch Cup is cancelled for this year," he says.
No one reacts instead a shocked silence hangs around in the air.
"This year we will have the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament. It is an event that has been worked on for months ensuring everything will go according to plan.
It used to be an annual event until the immensely high death toll became too much."
Death toll? Now I'm interested.
"We will be hosting two other wizarding schools-Beauxbatons and Drumstrang- who will be arriving in late October at the Halloween feast."
He pauses.
"Now due to the ineffectiveness of the last several tries to bring back the tournament, an age limit will be put in place.
Those who are of age-seventeen that is-are the only ones able to compete-no exceptions."
Complaints murmur throughout the crowds particularly from the Gryffindor table.
"Three champions will be selected from each school by an unbiased judge who will choose based on how much it believes the contestants are worthy."
"But, until then classes will be business as usual so now off to bed you go!" Dumbledore concludes, dimming the lights inside the hall.
We leave the hall our stomachs full of food in our minds for questions.
So, Beauxbatons were coming here most likely it was only going to be those of age-Such as Fleur Delacour.
She was one person I wasn't looking forward to seeing.
Madam Maxine was sweet but stern, so, I'll be looking forward to seeing her.
She was the one who escorted me here to Hogwarts helping me settle in.
I haven't seen her in almost a year.
The Slytherin dorms were annoyingly set in the dungeon.
It's not so much the fact that it's in the dungeon that bothers me, but, more of the journey that it takes to get there.
The Hufflepuff dorms were also down here only a few doors down from ours.
I never really understood why the Hufflepuff dorm was in the dungeons.
But then again I've never really cared so much about it before.
I say goodnight to Astoria and Millicent waving at the boys before heading to my singular dorm far away from all of the other quads.
My room was cleaned my sheets, warmed by a heating pan. I had a wood heater in the corner that was emitting luscious heat from the grate.
I pulled my curtains shut the bottom of Black Lake hidden from my view as I slipped out of my ropes and into my now warmed bed.
I fall asleep considerably quick dreaming of nothing but impending darkness.
The first class on my school day was advanced double potions.
I didn't have this class last year but I had over excelled so I was placed a level higher compared to the other students in my first class.
Professor Snape was the head of Slytherin so naturally he was warmer to us.
He has us lined up in the back of the classroom reading over his attendance list.
"This year you've been fortunate enough to take advanced potions.
For some of you this is your usual class but for others-two to be exact- are new here.
As you know this class rarely except younger classmates, but somehow you two girls managed to get into this class."
I peer around wondering who the other girl was.
My eyes stop locking with those none other than Hermione Granger's.
"And because you are in the same year you will be partners," Snape drawls.
Soon enough we are sent to our desks Granger sitting across from mme- a mudblood as my partner.
"I guess we'll be partners," Hermione says smiling her brown eyes twinkling.
"Ew...partners," I murmur ignoring her.
